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Uproot: An urban homesteading bonanza

Digging into it at Hayes Valley Farms. From cjmartin's Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/cjmartin

Now that locavorism has been firmly established as a socially acceptable and environmentally positive movement, people are now considering the place of hyperlocal food, which generally refers to edibles cultivated right within the context of urban and suburban communities. Well, that first part is not entirely true.

As highlighted by the recent Chronicle piece on the brouhaha that has some of the agricultural establishment’s panties in a bunch over the “Puritan idealism” and perceived elitism of slow food. Well, in my naïve fantasies, ushering in an era of functional food systems would be a no-duh, universal type of decision.

Anyway, if you haven’t caught the spate of articles lately, like this NYT one or, oh yeah, my own nonrual homesteading guide from our recent FEAST, urban agriculture is at least a bit of the vogue in the Bay Area. And for those of that bent or neophytes wanting to learn more, the Commonwealth Club is hosting a forum with urban farming heroes—Jason Mark of Alemany Farms, Novella Carpenter, the author of Farm City, Christopher Burley of Hayes Valley Farm, and David Gavrich of City Grazing—to discuss their vision of the growing movement within the larger conversation of “organic, local-grown culture.” It’s a great chance to see/ hear the idea-makers behind what could be a viable solution for creating access to healthier, non-corporate foods for everyone in these lean times. Snacks and wine, locally-produced of course, offered.